The Journey
by H. J. Hunter
Summary: Follows Dick Grayson's relationship with Barbara Gordon from day one and beyond. Rated T for violence, language and slight gore. ON HIATUS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is a Dick/Babs fic. I have always loved this pairing and after rewatching the series (for like the 10 millionth time), I was inspired to write one for them. It starts with Dick as Robin but will transition into him becoming Nightwing in later chapters.**

 **Disclaimer: If I owned Young Justice, I wouldn't be writing this story; I'd be making season 3!**

* * *

Chapter 1: Bruce Wayne's Ward

"Here we are, Master Richard." Alfred opened the back door of a black Rolls Royce, allowing the young boy inside to slide out and gaze upon what stood before him,"Welcome to Wayne Manor."

On top of the staircase, stood Bruce Wayne. As the boy and Alfred approached the billionaire, the latter noticed that the boy was refusing to acknowledge his new guardian's presence. "Don't worry, Master Richard. Master Bruce may seem intimidating at first, but you two have more in common than you think." the Englishman whispered. They were now standing in front of Bruce, who kneeled down so that he was eye-level with the boy.

"Master Bruce, I would like to formally introduce you to Master Richard Grayson." Alfred announced proudly. Bruce smiled lightly at Richard,"Do you have a preferred nickname or anything you would like us to call you?"

"Everyone at the circus called me Richard, but my dad called me Dick." he said quietly, averting Bruce's gaze.

"Alright, Dick it is. I'm Bruce. And this is Alfred." Bruce extended his large hand to the boy, who hesitated before shaking it. "Alfred will show you around. I have some work to do but I will see you at 6 o'clock for dinner." With that, Bruce stood back up and headed inside the mansion.

"Now if you'll follow me, Master Dick, I can show you your new room."

* * *

"Barbara! It's time to go! We have to be at that press conference in half an hour and it takes almost 25 minutes to get to Wayne Manor." Commissioner Gordon yelled upstairs to his daughter. In less than 30 seconds, Barbara was standing in front of her father wearing a red sundress and her hair hanging loose around her shoulders.

"Okay, Dad. I'm ready."

* * *

"I would like to announce that as of today, I have a ward in my care by the name of Richard Grayson. After hearing his story, I felt that it only seemed right for him to live a life outside of an orphanage..."

Barbara stopped paying attention to Bruce's speech when she noticed a boy standing next to Bruce's butler. He looked about her age with black hair that was slicked back and sky blue eyes. He paid no attention to Bruce but clearly took notice of Barbara's staring. Locking eyes with her, she saw that he was lonely and almost seemed... scared.

"That will be all; no more questions at this time, please." Bruce gave a single wave before stepping away from the podium. Gordon then moved towards the billionaire with his daughter in tow.

"Barbara, while I talk to Mr. Wayne, I want you to talk with Richard. He'll be attending Gotham Academy with you in September and I want him to have at least one friend before he goes to school. Just be patient with him; he's been through a lot these past few months." Barbara nodded in agreement as they approached the trio.

"Bruce! It's good to see you again." Gordon shook hands politely first with Bruce, then with Alfred. Meanwhile, Dick stood off to the side avoiding contact with the Commissioner. Barbara approached him quietly before tapping him on the shoulder.

* * *

"Uh, hi. It's Richard, right?" A girl's voice sounded behind Dick. He spun around and said,"I go by Dick actually. Dick Grayson."

"Okay, I'm Barbara Gordon. My dad is the Police Commissioner for Gotham." she held out her hand to Dick who took it slowly. He then noticed that she was his age, long red hair and cornflower blue eyes that sparkled in the bright sunlight. Overall, she was cute for a 10 year old. He gave her a small smile.

"I heard you were going to Gotham Academy this fall." Barbara asked, attempting to start conversation. Dick nodded,"I've never been to a private school before. I was always home schooled because my family traveled a lot."

"Well, now you have someone to show you around on your first day. I've been going there since 4th grade. I already know the school by heart. And if you ever have any questions, you can come and find me." she smiled.

"Thanks." Dick answered. He then noticed the Commissioner approaching the two of them with Bruce and Alfred not far behind.

"Alright, Barb. I think its time we head out. But we'll be back for the party next Friday." Commissioner Gordon said happily. He looked over at Dick and smiled kindly at him, which got him a small smile in return.

"It was nice talking with you, Dick. See you soon." Barbara waved to him as she followed her father.

"Bye." Dick whispered as he watched her leave. He hadn't even been here a whole day and he had already made a friend. An actual friend. One that wasn't a circus animal or a clown.

* * *

"So, what do you think of him?" Gordon asked his daughter, who was sitting in the passenger seat of his police car. She was staring out the window at Wayne Manor as they pulled away.

"I like him. He's quiet, but nice."

"That's good. I hope you won't mind spending some more time with him because I spoke to Bruce and he said you were welcome over anytime at the Manor."

"I don't think that will be a problem, Dad." Barbara said lightly.

* * *

"Alfred?" Dick walked next to the butler into the main hall of Wayne Manor.

"Yes, Master Dick?"

"Do you think that Barbara will come back to visit?" there was a hint of hope in Dick's voice. Alfred could hear it.

"I have no doubt that she will, Master Dick. I believe she likes you." the old Englishman smiled down at Bruce's ward.

"That's good. I like her too."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So what do you think so far? Don't forget to review and give me some new ideas! I promise I don't bite. :)**

* * *

Chapter 2: The Party and Gotham Academy Day 1

"There you are, Master Dick!" Alfred exclaimed when he saw the young boy descending the grand staircase that led into the Wayne Manor ballroom. It was filled with people wearing ballgowns and pressed suits. They all stood in groups and spoke to each other as though they knew what other groups didn't. When Dick reached the bottom of the staircase, he finished tucking in his white dress shirt and buttoned his coat. A bow tie was hanging around his neck, untied. Alfred smiled at the boy and immediately went to work tying it for him.

"Thanks, Alfred." Dick said softly.

"Anytime, Master Dick."

"Have you seen Barbara yet?" Dick was hoping to find her somewhere in the crowd before it got too late. Alfred continued to smile.

"I believe she and her father are with Master Bruce on the balcony."

"Okay. Thanks." Dick mumbled quickly before running towards the balcony.

"Master Dick! Please refrain from running in the house!" Alfred exclaimed, earning him a sigh and a slightly slower power walk. _'He couldn't stop thinking about her all week. This could turn out to be something wonderful in the near future.'_ Alfred thought as he watched Dick walk onto the balcony.

* * *

"Ah, there you are, Dick! I was wondering what took you so long?" Bruce noticed his ward the second he set foot on the balcony. Motioning for him to join himself, Gordon and Barbara, he also noticed how clean cut Dick appeared to be. And how he looked so happy to see Gordon's daughter...

"I couldn't figure out how to tie my bow tie without it looking like a knotted mess. Alfred had to do it for me." Dick admitted sheepishly. Barbara covered her mouth to stifle a giggle. Just then, the small orchestra in the ballroom began to play a slower song, prompting various couples to move onto the dance floor and move to the 3/4 time. Bruce got an idea.

"Why don't you two go and try your hand at dancing? If you need any help, look for Alfred. The man can do almost anything." The friends looked at each other for a moment, considering the idea, before Barbara grabbed Dick by the sleeve and pulled him inside.

* * *

"Alfred, can you show us how to dance?" Barbara asked the old butler when they finally located him among the massive crowd. Dick wasn't entirely sure about the idea of dancing, especially with someone else. But he listened to Alfred's instructions anyway.

"Now, Master Dick, you place your right hand on Miss Gordon's waist. And Miss Gordon, you place your left hand on Master Dick's shoulder. That's it. Now take her other hand in yours." Alfred watched the two friends with amusement as they got into position. "Now in a waltz, the gentleman always leads. So, Master Dick, you will step first and Miss Gordon will follow your lead. Almost. You must do it in time with the music. 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3..." Alfred stopped counting as the two began to dance their way onto the floor. By the time the song was over, they looked as though they had been ballroom dancing since the day they could walk on their own. Every time a slow song was played after that, Dick and Barbara would join the other party guests on the dance floor until Bruce and Gordon finally came in from the now chilly balcony.

"Alfred, I think you've created dancing monsters." Gordon chuckled as he watched his daughter spin around the dance floor with Dick.

"I don't think that's the case, Commissioner. If you ask me, I think they just enjoy spending the time with each other; which may cause you some anxiety in the future, sir." Alfred said slyly.

"Hmph, what do you think, Bruce? He appears to be a boy after your own heart. Already having girls fall for him." Gordon nudged Bruce lightly, getting his attention. The billionaire had been focusing on Dick and Barbara; he noticed how Dick looked at her, how she smiled at him...

"I'm not exactly an expert on the subject, but I will say as they get older, it will only be harder to pull them apart from each other."

* * *

The rest of the summer seemed to be a blur. Barbara's birthday came the day before school started. When Dick asked her what she had wanted, she only said,"I want to know more about you." At first, Dick froze in place. He was only just getting over losing his parents, was Barbara worth having to relive those events? _'Yeah, she is.'_ Dick thought to himself. So they stood out on the balcony together as Dick recounted his life before coming to Wayne Manor. He told her about travelling with Haly's Circus, the death-defying trapeze acts he had done when he was only 7 years old, overhearing Zucco's demands and threats, and finally, watching his family fall to their deaths. Barbara's eyes glazed over in shock at this, and she could feel tears forming in her eyes as she continued to listen to Dick, "At first, I was just so angry. I wanted Zucco to be locked away forever. But, then I began to realize that I was truly alone. My Uncle Rick survived the fall, but he was hurt so badly that he can't take care of me. So I was thrown into the Gotham City foster system until Bruce found me. And here I am."

Barbara couldn't find the proper words to say, so she just threw herself around him in a hug. He was caught off-guard at first, but he then wrapped his arms around her and held her as tight as he could.

* * *

"Master Dick, it's time to get up. You have school in an hour." Alfred shook the boy awake. "I've laid your uniform out for you and made you a lunch as well. Now, hurry up. I'll be driving you today but after that, you'll be joining Miss Gordon at the bus stop down the street." At the mention of his best friend's name, Dick shot out of bed and immediately began getting dressed. Alfred smiled at him and chuckled softly, _'He truly does care about her.'_

"How does this look?" Dick stepped out into the dining room with his new uniform on and his hair slicked back, revealing his shining sky blue eyes. Bruce looked up from his newspaper and eyed Dick for a moment before giving a response,"Not bad, kid. You look sharp."

"Thanks."

"Master Dick, its time to go! Grab something for breakfast and hop into the car." Alfred called. Dick raced into the kitchen and searched for something. When he found an apple he grabbed it and immediately started making his way to the front drive.

Bruce called,"Have a good day, kid."

* * *

"Barbara! I've been looking all over for you! Would you mind helping me out here?" Dick exclaimed when he found his friend. When she looked at who was calling her name, she broke out into a huge smile.

"I'm sorry about that, Dick. It looks like there's a lot more people this year. Now, let me see your schedule." Dick pulled a piece of paper out of his bag and handed it to her. She scanned the classes, looking for ones that matched hers. Honors English, no. Advanced Topics in Algebra, no. Honors Biology, yes! Honors Social Studies, yes! Lunch, same time as hers. Gym, no. And Beginners Computer Science, no.

"Looks like we have a couple of classes and lunch together. But first period isn't one of them. Here, follow me." She took Dick's hand and dragged him in the direction of his first class. "Here's your first class, your next one is down the hall this way, take the first right and it'll be the 3rd door on the left. I'll meet you after that class so we can walk together, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks, Babs." Dick gave her a quick side hug before turning away from her. She couldn't resist. Barbara leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. This obviously surprised Dick. But he didn't have time to respond as the bell rang and Barbara ran off to her first class.

* * *

 _'I can't believe I just did that. Do I really like Dick that way? I haven't even known him that long.'_ Barbara thought repetitively through out her first period class. _'Maybe... maybe I really do.'_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: 2 Years Later and Becoming Robin

Dick glided across the acrobatic equipment in the Wayne Manor gym. He remembered how Bruce had purchased the equipment specifically for him about a year ago. He had said that it was a belated birthday present. But after seeing how much muscle the 12 year old had put on, Bruce began to have more ideas pertaining to his secret line of work. Watching him in the gym, Bruce saw that Dick had become more agile and was finally comfortable doing what he had once feared. The memories of his parents and their deaths no longer had control of him. It did, however, seem like Gordon's daughter did. He was with her every chance he got. Never leaving her side until he absolutely had to, they acted like a pair of newly weds.

Bruce attempted to draw Dick away from this one night shortly after he and Barbara finished school for the day. "Dick, I want you to follow me. There's something I want to show you." Dick wasn't sure what to think of that, but he shrugged and followed anyway. Together, they entered the library and approached an old, mahogany bookcase. Bruce scanned the shelves until his fingers fell upon a copy of _The Death of Ivan Ilych_ _._ Slowly, he pulled the book towards himself and put it back in its place. A few seconds later, the entire shelf moved, revealing a stone staircase behind it. Without a word, Bruce began to descend the staircase leaving Dick at the top.

 _'What is this? I never knew we had-'_

"Dick! You coming?" Bruce called from below. Snapping out of his thoughts, Dick began to climb down the stairs. As he caught up to his guardian, the air around him grew colder. By the time they had arrived at the bottom of the stairs, Dick's breath was visible. In front of them, a sealed doorway stood and next to it was an access pad. Bruce placed his hand on the pad and continued to stay silent as the sealed door opened. "After you." Bruce gestured towards the room on the other side and allowed Dick to pass through. At first, Dick believed that his guardian was in possession of a medieval torture chamber. He was wrong.

* * *

"Welcome to the Batcave."

"This is insane. All that time you weren't around for dinner or to shoot hoops with me, you were out patrolling the city." Dick stared and gawked at all of the high-end equipment, the super computers, the Batmobile, the Batsuit. Then Dick felt confused,"Why are you showing me this?"

"I've seen you in the gym. You're fast, flexible and you're getting stronger everyday. After your parents died, we, the police and the Batman, found that it was at the hands of crime boss Tony Zucco. I was afraid that your childhood would be filled with the desire for revenge. I was afraid that you would end up like me. But you've proven me wrong. Zucco is still out there; he's roaming the alleys spreading his crimes throughout the city. It's only fair that you help the Bat bring him in. Dick, I want you to join me. What do you say?"

Dick was still taking it all in. Batman, _the_ Batman, wanted _his_ help in tracking down one of Gotham's most notorious crime bosses. How could he say no?

"I'm in."

Bruce smiled,"Then follow me."

* * *

"If you're going to help me, you're going to need an alias. What do you want the city to know you as?" Dick pondered on this for a while. He needed a name that stuck, one that would always be remembered whenever someone mentioned Batman.

"I think I'll go by... Robin." Dick settled on the nickname his Uncle Rick had given him. Bruce gave him a look of uncertainty.

"Robin? Like the bird?"

Dick shrugged,"My Uncle Rick used to call me his little robin because I liked to fly around on the swings before shows. Why do you call yourself Batman?"

"Bats are creatures of the night. While the police protect the city during the day, I protect the city at night, like a bat." Bruce paused before heading over to where the Batsuit was displayed. Placing his hand on another access pad, the glass fell around the display, allowing Bruce to pull something out from a hidden drawer. It was a uniform, Dick's uniform.

"I had Alfred use the measurements from your suit to make this. All he needs to do now is put an insignia on it. But first, put your right hand on the uniform and raise your left hand." Dick obeyed his guardian's orders.

"Repeat after me. I, Richard Grayson,"

"I, Richard Grayson,"

"pledge my service to the Batman,"

"pledge my service to the Batman,"

"and all that he stands for."

"and all that he stands for."

"I will not kill."

"I will not kill."

"I will not reveal to anyone my alternate identity," Bruce put an emphasis on this particular part of the oath.

"I will not reveal to anyone my alternate identity,"

"nor will I use my alternate identity for personal gain."

"nor will I use my alternate identity for personal gain."

"But above all, I will do whatever it takes to ensure justice."

"But above all, I will do whatever it takes to ensure justice." With that, Bruce nodded and pulled out a black object that resembled a phone. He handed it to his new partner.

"If I need you, I'll send you a signal on this. I'll handle things during school hours for now. But you'll be going out with me on night patrols until you get used to the gear... starting tonight. I've reconfigured the doors to accept your hand prints. We'll meet down here in 30 minutes for patrol. Better cancel that thing you had with the Commissioner's daughter now."

Dick had completely forgotten that Barbara was coming over to work on a project for school that night. He whipped out his phone and began running up the stairs and out of the cave. After three rings, Barbara picked up.

"Dick? I'm just about to head over to the Manor, what's up?"

"Uh, well, Babs, I'm sorry but I have to reschedule. Something important came up and-"

"Okay, I get it. How about tomorrow right after school? We can go over to my place and work there for a bit."

"Sounds good. Thanks, Babs." Dick hung up before she could say anything else.

* * *

"Barb, you ready to go?" her father poked his head in to see if she was.

"Something came up, Dad. Dick can't work on our project tonight so he's coming over tomorrow after school."

"Alright. Well, if you're staying here, I'll turn in for the night. I'll be watching the game downstairs if you need me."

"Thanks." When he left, Barbara looked back down at her phone. Dick sounded like he was in a rush. Like something was going on that he didn't want her to know about. Outside, snow began to fall. It was already... what was the date? Barbara checked her phone. November 30th, 2009. Dick's birthday was tomorrow. She had forgotten Dick's 13th birthday was tomorrow. She had to think of something to get him. Nothing came to mind. She thought of the gift he had given her when she turned 13. A necklace with a four leaf clover charm hanging from it. The clover was _their_ good luck charm since they always managed to find them when they were together. Barbara still blushed when she thought about that day. She wanted the gift she gave to Dick to be just as meaningful. But what?

* * *

"Now, with this, all you have to do is point and shoot." Batman instructed. His new partner had been eager to learn about the equipment and was picking things up fast. "When you swing from building to building, it's important to maintain your center of gravity so you don't fall flat on your face. Give it a try. Go from this fire escape to that one using the grappling hook." Without hesitation, Robin flew to the opposite side of the alley, landing lightly on his feet.

"Not bad for a rookie, huh?" He smiled as he put the grappling hook back in his belt. A split second later, Batman towered over him on the fire escape.

"Not bad at all." Dick's smiled widened, becoming Robin was going to be a snap.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Birthday Gift

"Happy birthday, Master Dick!" Alfred said as the boy passed him on the way to breakfast the next morning. Dick smiled and yawned at the Englishman.

"Thanks, Alfred."

"Up late last night?" Alfred questioned, raising his eyebrow.

"You could say that." Dick replied. When he reached the dining room, he saw a note with his name on it sitting on the table. Dick opened it cautiously.

 _No patrol tonight. Enjoy your birthday._

 _~ Bruce_

* * *

"Happy birthday, Grayson!" Barbara rushed over to her friend and tackled him in a hug. It didn't matter that they were surrounded by people in the Gotham Academy hallway; at least, it didn't matter to them. "I got you something."

"Aw, Babs, I told you I didn't want anything." Dick sighed in slight exaggeration. Barbara raised an eyebrow,"So you don't want it?"

"Of course I do! You've known me long enough to note whenever I'm being sarcastic." Dick laughed. In retaliation, Barbara smacked him as hard as she could on his arm. "Babs, you do know that didn't even hurt, right?"

"When did you put on so much muscle, Grayson? Are you secretly a member of the football team or something?"

"Hah! The day I join the football team is the day I decide to have kids. It's not gonna happen." Dick pronounced this with unwavering certainty. Now Barbara was intrigued to know more.

"You don't want kids when you get older?" To be honest, she hadn't really thought about it that much herself but-

"Nope. With the type of career I want to have, kids would just tie me down."

Barbara continued to pry,"Oh really?! And what kind of a career would that be?"

"I want to be a digital forensics expert. Someone who is able to track down criminals through their computers. Who knows, maybe I'll be working for your dad." Barbara opened her mouth to reply but before she could, the bell rang overhead, signalling the start of class. Dick smiled and offered his hand to Barbara.

"Come on. We'll be late to class." Dick laughed. This year they had managed to land 4 classes together and one of them, Pre-AP World History, was first period. Barbara sighed and took his hand. When they got to the classroom, Barbara looked around cautiously before turning to Dick and brushing her lips against his. Dick was frozen in surprise for a moment before asking shakily,"Was that my gift?"

"Nope. You're going to have to wait for that." Barbara smirked at him and into the classroom. Dick stood there for a moment, his eyes still wide with surprise. _'Whoa, did Babs really just... do that? Does she...?'_ The final bell before first period interrupted his thoughts.

* * *

School was boring (as usual) for Dick, despite all of the happy birthdays he received. After school had been what he was looking forward to. Not only was he spending time with his best friend, but he could finally know what this 'gift' she had gotten him was. Snow continued to fall as the friends walked to the Gordon household. Out of the corner of his eye, Dick saw Barbara attempting to warm her hands. She wasn't wearing any gloves. Dick stopped and put a hand on Barbara's shoulder to stop her as well.

"Give me your hands, Babs." he said while taking his own gloves off. They were nice, fur lined and made of tanned leather. Without hesitation, Barbara extended her hands out towards Dick. He wrapped his hands around hers.

"Better, Babs?" she nodded quickly. Dick got another idea. "Here, take these."

"Your gloves? Dick, you don't have to give me these. I just left mine at home."

"Well, take them until we get to your house." Dick was persistent.

Barbara sighed in defeat,"You're not gonna give up, are you?"

"Nope." he smiled handing her his gloves. They were a bit big for her but they kept her hands warm for the rest of their walk. When they got to the Gordon house, Barbara handed Dick's gloves back to him and unlocked the front door. After hanging up their coats and scarves, Dick, with a childish look in his eye, asked,"Present time?"

* * *

"It isn't much but I remember you saying how you needed a new one." Barbara handed him a small wrapped box tied with a red ribbon. Carefully, he untied the ribbon and tore away the wrapping paper. When he opened the box, he broke out into a smile. Sitting in the box was a new black leather wallet. He had been needing one for a while but never seemed to find time to get one on his own. Taking it out of the box he noticed that his initials (RJG) were stamped into the leather.

"Aw, Babs, this is awesome! Thank you so much." He was about to reach over and hug his friend but she stopped him.

"Open it."

"You didn't rig it to explode, did you?" Dick asked playfully, earning himself a slap on the arm. He opened it and what he saw made him freeze. There were two pictures in the wallet. One of himself and Barbara at one of Bruce's parties and the second one was of his parents. They were smiling and laughing in the picture. His parents were in their Flying Graysons' uniforms, and it looked like the photo had been taken long before he was born. Tears began to form in Dick's eyes as he looked down at them. His voice came out as a nearly inaudible whisper,"Babs, I- thank you. This is the best gift anyone has ever gotten me."

* * *

"You look good in this one. Every other picture Alfred took of us had you making faces or doing something stupid." Barbara sat with Dick in the small living room. They were only about halfway done with their project but by 4:30, Dick had gotten bored and began looking at the pictures sitting in his new wallet. He smiled as he remembered the night that the picture was taken. It had been at last year's New Year's Eve party.

 _"Master Dick, if you could stand still for 30 seconds, please." Alfred huffed impatiently at the boy who was trying to duck out of another photo. He had been Alfred's prime target all night long._

 _"He's just excited because Bruce let him stay up to watch the ball drop, Alfred." Commissioner Gordon laughed as he approached the old butler. Not far behind him was Barbara, wearing a knee length, strapless, royal blue dress._

 _"Hey, Babs, come on! It's almost midnight. We can watch the ball drop in the game room-" Dick seized Barbara's hand and proceeded to lead her away from the party, but Alfred stopped him._

 _"Not so fast, Master Dick! I want to get a picture of you and Miss Gordon together." The butler smiled, silently praising himself for trapping the boy. There was no way he would deny Miss Barbara Gordon. A groan, a smile and a camera flash later, the two friends were gone. Once they got to the game room, they noticed that it was surprisingly empty._

 _"Huh? I thought there would be more people here." Dick shrugged as he looked over at the giant TV screen. The ball was five seconds away from dropping and the people in Times Square were shouting out the countdown. Five...four...three...two..._

 _Suddenly, a pair of lips collided with his. At first he was in shock, but eventually went with it. The kiss lasted longer than he thought but when he and Barbara separated, it left him wanting more. She leaned in and whispered,"Happy New Year, Dick."_

That was the night he officially decided that he liked Barbara as something more than a friend. "Uh, Dick, what's with the goofy grin?" Barbara snapped him out of his trance.

* * *

"Oh, nothing. Just daydreaming, I guess. So, how 'bout we get back to work?" Dick brushed her question away and changed the subject. Barbara couldn't help but raise an eyebrow,' _What are you thinking about that's got you acting so funny?'_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Remembering Christmas and Meeting Wally

"It's over, Zucco. You don't stand a chance without your thugs." Batman and Robin had the crime boss cornered in an alleyway. After almost a year of tracking, interrogating, and long nights in front of a computer had led to this moment. The day that Tony Zucco would pay for what he had done to the Flying Graysons all those years ago. For Dick, it brought him a wave of relief. He would finally have this off his chest; he would be able to live with the satisfaction that his family's deaths weren't forgotten.

"Alright, alright. You got me. I know when I'm beat." Zucco dropped to the ground in fear. He had no reinforcements to protect him and he was utterly defenseless. Batman pulled him up by his coat collar and offered him to Robin, who walked up to the crime boss and punched as hard as he could in the jaw.

"That's for my parents." Robin said smugly. Zucco blacked out and slumped, unconscious. Batman was impressed with his prodigy. "Nice hit, kid."

* * *

"Grayson! Did you hear? Batman and Robin finally caught Tony Zucco. It's all over the place!" Barbara came running up to Dick. He steadied her by placing his hands on her shoulders, his touch immediately calming her.

"I heard, Babs. It's about time he got some justice." Dick smiled at his best friend. She knew that Zucco was responsible for Dick losing his parents. And hearing that he was behind bars only made her happier for Dick.

"So, you wanna hang out after school? It's finally warm enough that we can go to the park without having to put three layers on." There was hope in Barbara's voice. The last time they actually hung out was on Christmas Day.

 _Bruce was working all day and Gordon was swamped at the station with new leads and cases coming in by the dozens, leaving Dick and Barbara at Wayne Manor with Alfred, who spent most of the day on the phone with family. As a result, the two friends sat in front of the large fireplace in the Wayne Manor parlor, drinking hot chocolate and talking and listening to Christmas music._

 _When Pachebel's Canon came on, Dick got an idea. "Remember when Alfred taught us how to ballroom dance?" He extended his hand to Barbara, who took it with a smile. "Of course."_

 _Placing one hand on her waist and taking her hand in his, he slowly pulled her close to his chest. Without hesitation, he began to lead her around the empty parlor as the orchestra played over the stereo. Soon after, Barbara set her head on his chest and closed her eyes, allowing him to move her across the floor. Even after the song ended, they stayed like that; no longer moving, Dick brought her hand to his heart and placed his left hand on her waist, bringing her even closer. She listened to the sound of his steady breathing, the beating of his heart and snuggled closer to him, smiling softly. 'I won't tell you now, but I do love you, Dick.' she thought to herself._

 _Meanwhile, Dick was trying with all his might to keep his heart rate and breathing constant. 'You may not know it, Babs, but you have me wrapped around your finger. You always have and always will.' he thought before whispering an inaudible,"I love you, Babs."_

"Sorry, Babs, but Bruce and I are taking a weekend trip to Central and Star Cities. We're going to meet up with some old friends of his. Maybe when I get back we can meet up." Dick explained. He wasn't just meeting Bruce's friends, he was meeting their partners in crime. Barbara huffed, but agreed nonetheless.

* * *

"Dick, this Barry Allen and his nephew Wally West. Barry, Wally, this is my ward, Dick Grayson." Bruce introduced his ward to a tall, muscular man with sandy hair and bright eyes and a shorter teenager with red hair that stuck out at odd ends and had twinkling green eyes. Their facial structures were similar, indicating that they were relatives. The teen ran over to Dick before he could blink and stuck his hand out.

"Hey, Wally, also known as Kid Flash. Nice to meet ya, Boy Wonder." Wally ran his mouth about a mile a minute making it hard for Dick to fully understand what he was saying, but he shook hands with the teen regardless. "Nice to meet you too, KF."

"Down, boy! You're gonna freak him out." Barry walked over to Dick and offered his hand as well,"Barry Allen, aka The Flash. I've heard a lot of great things about you, Dick. Hopefully, we'll see among the Justice League someday."

"Looking forward to it, sir." Dick shook Barry's hand and smiled. Bruce then began talking with Barry about some other business and left Wally alone with Dick. The speedster approached his new friend and began rolling off questions.

"So, what do you think of Central City? You been to the fair yet? What's Gotham like? You have a girlfriend back there?" The last question caught Dick's attention and Wally could tell.

"What's she look like? She cute? Is she funny?" Wally pressed.

"Uh, well, we're not exactly dating. She's my best friend; we've known each other for years. Here, I have a picture." Dick pulled the photo from his wallet and handed it to Wally. The speedster examined the photo and looked back at Dick, smirking.

"Not bad, tiger. She's cute. You better hang on to someone like that. They're few and far between."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Avoiding Babs

The following day, Bruce, Barry, Wally and Dick made their way to Star City. When they got there, they were greeted by a man with styled blonde hair and a matching goatee and another teenager. He was at least 18 years old, tall and muscular and had red hair that was spiked in the front. His expression was serious and firm, but his eyes told that he was happy to see the group.

"Oliver, it's good to see you." Bruce shook hands with the blonde man who then turned his attention to the younger teens. He smiled at them and waved,"You must be Wally and Dick. I'm Oliver Queen, but you probably know me better as Green Arrow. This is my protegee, Roy Harper. Roy, meet Kid Flash and Robin."

Wally made his usual approach and extended his hand to Roy,"Speedy, right? Name's Wally. But you can call me KF."

Roy shook hands with Wally and focused his gaze to Dick who was standing behind the speedster with his arms crossed, giving the impression that he didn't want to be here. It was true that he would rather be back in Gotham with Babs or even hanging out in Central City with his new friend, but he didn't want to deal with the angst that Speedy clearly had coming off of him in waves.

"I don't bite, Dick. Roy Harper, but you can just call me Speedy." Roy offered a small smile to the 13 year old and extended his hand to him. Slowly, Dick let out a sigh and shook hands with the older boy. _'Alright, you're not as bad as I thought, Speedy. But I'd still rather be back home.'_

* * *

"So how was your weekend trip?" Barbara sat next to Dick on Monday morning and was eager to know what he had been so excited about after he came back.

"It was fun, I made a couple of new friends, got to go to the Central City fair, saw the Star Labs facility in Star City. Bruce is taking me to Bludhaven next weekend."

"Really? But we're still gonna hang out after school today, right?" Barbara asked, hoping that her friend would give her the answer she was looking for. He smiled and nodded, allowing her to breath a sigh of relief. _'He's not totally avoiding me. That's good. But why would he avoid me in the first place? First Central and Star and now Bludhaven? What's happening to the kid I thought I knew?'_

* * *

Over the course of the remaining school year, Dick and Babs spent less and less time together. It seemed like Dick was never around anymore and when he was, he often steered away from any prying questions that Barbara asked. It almost frightened Barbara; she felt as though she was losing her friend to some unknown evil. On the other side of the story, Dick was feeling pressured constantly. After school got out, Barbara kept badgering him to spend time with her, but due to his responsibilities as Robin, he would have to often decline.

Around mid-summer, he, Kid Flash and their new friend Aqualad, invaded Project Cadmus in Washington D.C. against League orders. While he thought that it would result in him losing his title, it in fact led to the formation of a covert operations team. He, Kid Flash, Aqualad, Superboy and Miss Martian were now responsible for carrying out secret League missions. On one hand, Dick was relieved that he could now spend more time as a normal teenager, but on the other, it was yet another secret to keep from Babs, and Dick wasn't sure if he could take one more.

So, he brought it to Bruce's attention. "Hey, Bruce, I need to talk to you about something important."

"What would that be?" Bruce was sitting at his desk, his eyes glued to the papers below him.

"I don't know if I can keep anymore secrets from Barbara. She's been kinda nosy. Not in a bad way, but I think she thinks I'm ignoring her and I don't want to be a bad friend-"

"Dick," Bruce stopped his ward,"I know that it's hard, but you swore an oath that you would never tell anyone about this. Maybe someday when you're older you can tell her. But for now, no. You can't tell her."

"But why?" Dick was curious to know as to why he couldn't tell his best friend his greatest secret since he had told her just about everything else. Bruce sighed at the young teen before giving his answer.

"For the same reason you wear those sunglasses when you're with the Team. To protect your identity and to keep those around you safe. If people knew we were Batman and Robin, everyone would know where we were and could target us and those we love. Trust me, you and Barbara are safer this way."

* * *

"Hey, Commissioner Gordon, is Babs here? I wanted to give her her birthday present." Dick stood on the front porch of the Gordon's house with a small box in hand. He was still sore from the mission he had been on the night before, but tried to avoid letting it show.

"She's in her room, Dick. Finishing her summer assignments; go right ahead." Gordon smirked at the boy, who was now more of a young man, as he ran up the stairs and over to Barbara's room.

"Babs? It's me. I got you something." Dick knocked on the closed door politely. A few seconds later he heard,"Come on in, Dick."

When he entered, he anticipated being bombarded by questions regarding where he had been all summer and what he had been doing, but instead, Barbara was sitting on her bed, her knees pulled to her chest and her chin resting on them. She had a tired expression on her face, like she hadn't had a decent amount of sleep in a while.

"Hey, you okay, Babs? You look exhausted." Dick rushed over to his friend and sat next to her on the bed. She was pale and when he placed a gentle hand on her forehead, she felt warm to the touch. "You're burning up, Babs. Want me to get your dad?"

"Not right now, Dick. It's good to see you. I've missed you over the summer." Her voice sounded slightly strained and he knew that she was definitely sick. He gave her a smile and placed his hand on her cheek.

"I missed you too. Oh, I almost forgot." he pulled out the box he had brought with him and handed it to her,"Happy Birthday, Babs. Hope you like it."

"That's right. I didn't even remember my birthday was today. I guess I'm sicker than I thought." Barbara giggled weakly as she took the box and began unwrapping it. When she saw what was inside, her eyes grew wide with surprise. "Oh, Dick..."

In the box sat silver locket with a picture of Dick and Babs from last Christmas. They were in their pajamas laughing at the camera, surrounded by presents on all sides. It was the day she realized that she loved him. Dick chuckled softly,"Look at what it says on the front."

Slowly, Barbara closed the locket and looked at the facade. Engraved in tiny script was, ' _Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.' ~ Aristotle_

"Do you like it? Alfred found the quote for me." Dick asked. He was met with a brief silence before Barbara sniffled a bit and whispered,"It's perfect."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Barbara Becomes Batgirl

"Introducing our newest pearls, The Daring Dangers!" Dick squinted slightly in the sudden change of lighting as a spotlight appeared where he and Miss Martian were standing. They were elevated about 30 feet in the air. Below them was the center ring of a circus, Haly's Circus to be exact. On the ground stood Artemis, Roy and Connor. As Dick and M'gann began their routine on the trapeze, the ringmaster, Jack Haly, listed off their names,"Dan Danger! Dawn Danger! Diane Danger! Dane Danger! And Dean Danger!"

Haly continued to explain their act while Dick kept thinking about what had happened prior to coming on tour with Haly's Circus. About a week prior to the mission, Bruce had called Dick down to the Batcave wanting to discuss something important.

 _"Dick, remember how I said a few months ago that you couldn't tell Barbara about you being Robin?" Dick wasn't sure where this was going,"Yeah, what about it?"_

 _Bruce paused for a moment, then sighed,"I don't believe there is anything left for me to teach you. I have found an eager kid by the name of Jason Todd. He has the same spark that you do. What I'm trying to say is, I plan on making him the next Robin and I believe that you should tell Barbara the truth as well. Since you're moving up in the world of fighting crime, she should know about it."_

 _Dick was in shock. He was being replaced? How could he do that after all they had been through as Batman and Robin? The last part of Bruce's speech hadn't even sunken in until the next day. Dick refused to speak to Bruce, who was going to bring Jason to Wayne Manor after New Year's to begin his training. 'Fine. If that's how Bruce wants it.'_

 _Two hours later, the Boy Wonder was rapping on his best friend's window. She clearly hadn't fallen asleep yet, because she jumped right out of her bed and rushed over to the window as quietly as she could. When she recognized that Robin was the stranger at her window, she opened it immediately and welcomed him inside._

 _"Robin? What are you doing here?" she whispered loudly. The Boy Wonder turned to face her and raised a hand to his domino mask._

 _"I'm here to explain everything." Dick removed the mask from his face and watched as Barbara's eyes grew wide in shock. She clearly wasn't dreaming, this was actually happening._

 _"You might want to have a seat, Babs. You look like your going to pass out." Dick led her over to her bed and sat next to her. He told her everything, how Bruce had shown him the Batcave, how he had become Robin, how Bruce was going to replace him..._

 _"Why are you telling me all of this?" Barbara had felt tears form in her eyes, she moved to brush them away, but Dick beat her to it._

 _"Bruce told me before I came here that he wanted to train you. He wants you to work with us." Dick whispered with a smile. Barbara laughed softly and a mischievous look spread across her face._

 _"Are you sure that it was Bruce who wanted me to join? Or did someone else have something to do with it?" Dick blushed a bit but held his hands up innocently._

 _"I swear I had nothing to do with it."_

In the present, Dick felt as though he were dying on the inside. He had caught that 24-hour flu that was going around the circus and it was starting to really effect him. The Team had managed to get through their act without any real problems, but now Dick was beginning to feel he left, Barbara had given him an answer to Bruce's proposal. She would begin training with Jason after the New Year. He could only hope that Bruce wouldn't work her to death before she got a chance to go on patrol.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: More

~Two years later~

"I don't get why we have to still go out on these patrols, Batman. Batgirl and I aren't technically a part of your team anymore." Dick peered through his binoculars at the Gotham City streets below him. Beside him was his former mentor. Four blocks away, Barbara and Jason were in the same position, monitoring the streets below.

"Because you still live in my house and Batgirl has not yet met my expectations in her training." Batman replied bluntly. Ever since Jason had arrived, all Dick had done was complain to Bruce and go on separate patrols with Barbara aside from his work with the team. The now 16-year old had put on a lot of muscle over the past two years and he had also developed a more headstrong personality as well. He was no longer Robin, the original Boy Wonder. He went by a new identity. Dick Grayson was now known as Nightwing and, to the people of Gotham City, he was the rebellious former sidekick who was sick and tired of being treated like a child. It was partially true, but rather, Dick had assumed the new identity as a way to continue working with Barbara while she trained.

Dick's short lived romance with Zatanna was made known to Barbara, but she had brushed aside, as if she knew that it wouldn't last. After that, Dick and Barbara became nearly inseparable, like they had been when they were younger. They trained together, hung out after school with each other, went on patrol together. But that seemed to be all that happened between them. It wasn't until Dick's 16th birthday that something did change between them.

 _Barbara and Dick were on the balcony outside of his room at Wayne Manor. It was cold, so no one was outside except for them. Barbara had been taunting Dick about his gift all night long. He had finally cornered her on his balcony._

 _"C'mon, Babs. Just give it to me already." he begged. Barbara rolled her eyes and moved closer to him. She stopped when her face was centimeters from his. Slowly, she pressed her lips to his and placed her hands on his broad chest. Not long after, his arms snaked their way around her waist, pulling her even closer. Their lips moved in sync with one another's until they broke, gasping for air. Barbara leaned towards his ear and whispered,"I love you, Dick Grayson."_

 _"I love you too, Barbara Gordon." he whispered before pressing his lips to hers again. For what seemed like hours, they stood out on the balcony. When Barbara started to shake, they moved inside. Dick refused to release her from his grip, holding onto her waist for the remainder of the party. From across the ballroom, as Dick and Barbara returned to the party, Alfred shook his head and laughed._

 _"Well, Commissioner Gordon, I'm afraid that Miss Barbara and Master Dick are no longer friends." The butler turned to face the Commissioner and Bruce, who had been talking._

 _"What do you mean, Alfred?" Gordon questioned._

 _"I mean that they have become something much more than friends. See for yourself." When the other men saw Dick and Barbara together, they instantly understood. Alfred had been right all those years ago, they were meant to be._

"Batman to Robin, see anything?" Bruce radioed to Jason, snapping Dick out of his daze. A few seconds later, there was a reply.

"Negative, everything is fine over here. Do you want us to call it a night?" It was late, almost 2 in the morning. It was Saturday, but still. Batman pondered this for a bit before replying.

"Yes. You three can head back to the Cave. I'll catch up." Dick leapt to his feet and immediately began making his way towards Barbara and Jason. He was absolutely silent when he landed on their rooftop, but they still had detected his presence. Jason snorted at him.

"Took you long enough. Let's go, I'm freezing out here." The new Robin began leaping from building to building, silent and stealthy. Dick and Barbara lingered behind.

"That was by far the most painful patrol I have ever been on. Jason is such a killjoy." Barbara walked over to Dick who wrapped her up in his arms and pulled her to his chest.

"Tell me something I don't know. Daddy Bats thinks that if we go out on patrol together, we won't get anything done." Dick said seductively. Barbara laughed at him.

"Sad thing is, he's right. And you know it."

"Yeah, but he can't control what we do after patrol, can he?" Dick leaned in and kissed her cheek.

"Get your head out of the gutter, Grayson. Let's get back to the Cave, it's freezing out here."

* * *

"So I'm going to assume your spending the night?" Dick asked hopefully. He and Barbara were in their street clothes again and were making their way through the empty atrium at Wayne Manor. Jason and Alfred were asleep.

"Well, I'm too lazy to drive back home and my Dad thinks that I'm working on a research paper with you so..." she told him as he led her up the stairs to his room. Once they were inside, Dick shut the door and made his way over to one of the dressers. He pulled out a set of pajamas belonging to Barbara and tossed them at her.

"Imagine what your Dad would say if he knew you had a drawer of clothes in my room." Dick chuckled. Barbara rolled her eyes at him and went to his bathroom to change. Quickly, the former Boy Wonder tore off his shirt and traded his jeans for a pair of pajama pants. He looked at himself in the mirror and couldn't help but remember himself all those years ago, back when he was just a scrawny, little, orphan kid. Now he was a 6' 1" wall of muscle. Dick's eyes began to drift to his desk, where photos of him over the past years sat. When his gaze settled on one, he strode over to the desk, lifted it gently and sighed at the memory.

"We've grown up so much..." he whispered. It was a picture of him, Wally, Kaldur, Artemis, M'gann and Connor. The photo had been taken about a month after the Team had rescued the Justice League from the Light. Flash had insisted on taking the photo for posterity; they were technically the founders of the Team, after all.

"In some ways." Barbara had emerged from the bathroom and interrupted her boyfriend's thoughts. She walked over to him and kissed his cheek before climbing into his bed and wrapping herself in the covers.

"I could say the same about you. You're such a blanket hog." Dick walked over to the other side of the bed and slid underneath the remaining covers. Barbara snuggled up next to him, placing her head on his chest.

"So what? You love me to much to do anything about it." her comment made him laugh as he wrapped his arm around her. Within minutes, they were both asleep, with the sun's rays peeking over the horizon.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I'm alive! Sorry it's been a while. Senior year has been... well, senior year. Good news is I finished my application to the college of my choice (note the singular), so that leaves a bit more free time for me to write. So this chapter will explore Dick's relationship with Jason, it isn't really looked at in YJ, so why not?**

* * *

Chapter 9: Jason

Dick woke up around noon to find Barbara gone. There was a note from her on the pillow next to him that read, _'Snuck out around 6, had to get ready for work.'_

Sighing, he pulled himself out of bed and trudged down to the dining hall, passing the game room where Jason was sitting in front of the TV, playing a video game. Dick wandered in and stood behind him, watching him play.

"You'll never be able to beat my score at that game, kid. I can't even beat it and I was the one who got the score in the first place." Jason didn't jump at Dick's sudden remark, he simply grunted and continued playing.

"Don't you have something better to do than to watch me play a video game? Like having a make out session with the Commissioner's daughter?" Dick suddenly felt upset. Jason's matter of fact attitude was becoming a pain in his ass. And bringing Barbara into it made it even worse. Without thinking, Dick grabbed the remote and turned the TV off. The new Robin whipped around to face Dick, anger sprawled across his face.

"Turn the TV back on, Dick!"

The older boy's eyes narrowed, "Make me, you little prick!"

Jason lunged, but Dick simply sidestepped out of his way. Before Jason had could turn around, Dick had him pressed up against the wall. The latter leaned and growled,"Next time, don't bring my girlfriend into the conversation. Got it?"

The younger boy glared at his superior, but nodded anyway. Dick released him and left.

* * *

"So, I heard that you and Master Jason had a bit of a falling out earlier, Master Dick." Alfred confronted Dick as he sparred with Barbara in the Batcave later that day. Barbara stopped and straightened at Alfred's comment. She looked at Dick with concern and questioning. Dick groaned.

"It was nothing I couldn't handle, Alfred. That kid's become a first-class brat, if you ask me. It's getting on my nerves." Recalling all the times that Jason had made Dick angry or upset was making him lose control of his temper, causing him to turn and punch the nearest wall as hard as he could. Barbara strode over and placed a calming hand on his shoulder.

"Have you tried having an actual conversation with him? He's had it pretty rough, Dick. I know you've had hard times too, but Jason was living on the streets for most of his life-"

"Attention: Calling all Justice League and Team Members." The call that interrupted Barbara came from the Batcave's primary monitor. It was Bruce dressed as Batman, he was supposed to be on a mission with Jason in Ethiopia. If he was calling for help, then the situation must have been way worse than anticipated.

"I regret to inform you that my mission could not be completed. It would seem that my partner, Robin has..." he paused, then continued,"been killed at the hands of the Joker while trying to protect an innocent life. I will be returning to the Watchtower with his body immediately. That is all. Batman out." The screen went black.

* * *

"We're going to the Watchtower. C'mon, Babs." Dick put on a pair of sunglasses and headed towards the Zeta-Tube, Barbara was right behind him. _Recognized Nightwing. B01. Batgirl. B16._ Stepping onto the Watchtower's main floor, they were slightly taken aback at the number of people there. Every League and Team member was present. When Wally saw Dick and Barbara, he rushed over to them and placed a hand on the former's shoulder.

"You okay?" Wally knew about Dick's past, but despite even his experience with loss, it would always sting. Dick smiled weakly at his friend and nodded.

"I'm fine, KF. Actually, my real concern is Daddy Bats."

"How 'bout you, Barb?" Wally was one of the few people within the Team that knew everyone's identity, because, despite his motor mouth, he was very good at keeping secrets.

"I'll be fine, Wally. Thanks."

 _Recognized Batman. 02._

* * *

"Today, we have lost a true hero. Despite his troubled past, Robin fought for justice. His contributions to the Team and to the League will not be forgotten. May he rest in peace, and may we remember that his efforts were not in vain. May he not be only remembered for his bravery today, but for his bravery from the minute he began his work. Let this be a reminder to everyone that no one is invincible, no matter how strong they may seem. We are all mortal. Life is never an absolute. So with the loss of Robin, we carry on, cherishing his life, as well as our own."

Bruce finished his eulogy in front of the League and Team without shedding a single tear. But, underneath his stone facade, his heart was aching. Jason was only a child, 13, to be exact. It wasn't fair to have his life ripped from him like it had been. Without another word, the Bat left the Watchtower, leaving Jason's body behind. He couldn't stand the pain of having to look at another lifeless body. He had already seen too many.

Everyone else in the Watchtower was silent, save for a few sniffles from Team members who had known Jason fairly well. Dick made his way over to where Jason's body lay on the floor. His black hair, normally well-kept, was now caked with dried blood and sticking out at odd angles. Some of it had been burned off, in fact, most of his body was covered in burns. There were pieces of shrapnel scattered throughout his body as well, giving the boy the appearance of someone who had been in a severe car crash. But what disturbed Dick the most were his eyes. They were wide open, and they seemed to be the only thing that hadn't been destroyed. All they did was stare. They stared directly at Dick, lifeless, gray orbs that soon met sky blue ones. It was then, that Dick truly began to break down. Before anyone could see, Dick scooped up the corpse in his arms and motioned for Barbara to follow him to the Zeta-tube.

* * *

Alfred wasn't there when Dick and Barbara returned to the Manor. Neither was Bruce. Instead, a note had been left in the Batcave for them.

 _Master Bruce and I have gone to find a place for Master Jason at the Gotham City Cemetery. We will bury him tomorrow. Expect us back late. ~Alfred_

Dick set his successor's body on an empty table and removed his jacket, which had now been stained by Jason's blood. He also took off his sunglasses and threw them into the trash along with the jacket. He could always replace them. But he couldn't replace Jason. A stinging sensation appeared at his eyes and he finally let himself cry. All the while, Barbara watched him. When he began to cry, she went over to him in an attempt to comfort him. He pulled her to his chest and cried into her shoulder for a while before saying anything.

What he said made Barbara's heart stop.

"He was like a brother to me, you know. I may not have shown it, but I loved that kid like a brother. I wish I could just say that I was sorry to him for fighting with him earlier."

"Oh, Dick..." her voice trailed off, there wasn't anything that she could have said then to comfort him. The only thing she could do was let him cry.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: In The Bleak Midwinter

 _Recognized Nightwing. B01. Kid Flash. B03. Artemis. B07. Batgirl. B16._

Artemis and Barbara walked with each other into the Team's base, trailing behind their boyfriends, who went immediately over to Connor. It had been a little over a week since Jason's death.

"So how has he been holding up? I know it's been hard for the big man, but I know Dick was closer to Jason than he was." Artemis asked softly. Barbara sighed and averted her gaze.

"That's the problem. He won't let anyone in. He won't talk about it and..." she inhaled deeply, as if trying to hold back tears,"I can't help but feel like he's slipping away."

"Maybe Black Canary could-"

"Batman already tried that. She couldn't get through to him."

"Well, don't look now, but he seems fine with Wally and Connor." Barbara looked over at Dick to see that he was talking with his friends as if nothing had ever happened to Jason. He acted as if it were just a regular day.

"What the hell? Now, I'm concerned. If he's acting fine here, he should be fine period." She would have to get to the bottom of this. And she would have to do it soon.

* * *

"Dick. We need to talk. Now." Barbara entered his room at Wayne Manor without knocking. He was standing on the balcony, looking up at the star-lit February sky. He wasn't wearing a coat, but didn't seem to be bothered by the cold. Barbara joined him on the balcony.

"Dick, talk to me. Please. I'm begging you. Say something. Anything." Barbara was fighting back tears at the sight of her boyfriend's expressionless face. He sighed and turned to face her.

"What is it, Babs? What did you want to talk about?" His voice had an edge to it, making him sound annoyed with her.

"I've seen you face death more times than I can count. You've escaped burning buildings, battled armies and seen innocent lives get destroyed. And that hasn't had any effect on you. But when Jason loses his life trying to do his job, a job that you couldn't do anything about, you decide to isolate yourself from Bruce, from Dinah, from Alfred...from me..." tears came pouring down her face now. She wasn't going to fight them, instead, she wanted him to see her cry. To see how much his isolation was hurting her. His face remained emotionless, but his eyes were growing wide in concern and shock.

"I feel like I'm losing you, Dick. You avoid talking to people who want to help you get over his death. I want to know why." She couldn't continue talking, she was crying too hard. Dick made up his mind then. Quickly, he cupped her cheek and brushed her tears away with his thumbs. His once stone face was now covered with sadness and concern. His voice was quiet and cracked.

"I'm so sorry, Babs. Let's go inside and talk about this. You're shaking." Immediately, he wrapped his arm around her and led her inside. After shutting the balcony door, he turned to face his girlfriend, who was now sitting on his bed. He slowly made his way to the bed and sat down next to her, taking her hand in his and tracing random designs on the back of her hand wit his thumb. Dick thought about what he was going to say, then began.

"Look, Babs. After my parents died, I never really gave myself the opportunity to grieve for them. I never really felt any loss, just anger and fear. I was able to push that sadness into the dark recesses of my mind. Until Jason died. Then, all of those emotions came back. Only this time, they were ten times worse. All of the pent up sadness and pain that I had stored in my mind when my parents died came back. And it was awful. I didn't know what to do. So I isolated myself to try and control those emotions. I never meant to push you away, Babs."

It was her turn to speak.

"Dick, I know that it's hard to lose someone you care about. But you shouldn't try to face these things alone. You don't have to be a hero 24/7."

She smiled at him lightly, causing him to smile weakly back.

"You always know what to say, Babs. Thanks."

* * *

Meanwhile...

"Aquagirl to Team. I'm in pursuit of Klarion; he has stolen the artifacts that I've brought to the museum. I need backup at Marduk's Temple, now!"

"Sending backup, Aquagirl." Mal replied to the Atlantean. Immediately, Mal sent out a signal.

"Cave to Nightwing and Aqualad." After a few seconds, both replied.

"Aquagirl is in a bind against Klarion. She needs backup asap at Marduk's Temple."

"We are on our way." Aqualad responded for both himself and his second in command.

* * *

"I have to go. Duty calls." Dick sighed and put his domino mask on before giving Barbara a quick peck on the cheek and leaving. Barbara watched him, feeling as though she needed to follow him back to the Cave. So she did.

When she reached the Cave, only Mal, Wolf, Sphere and Gar were still there, staring at the screens in front of them. Dick, Kaldur, Connor, M'gann and Garth had already left.

"What's going on, Mal? What's the big emergency?"

"We aren't sure yet. We haven't received a signal yet from Beta squad. But, Aquagirl said she needed some help recovering the artifacts from Klarion." Just then a transmission came in.

"Miss Martian to Cave. Aquagirl is dead. Repeat; Aquagirl is dead. The artifacts are destroyed and we are returning with her body to the Cave. ETA: 90 minutes."

"We'll contact the League and other Team members immediately."

There was a brief silence before Gar spoke up.

"First Robin, now Aquagirl. What are we gonna do?"


End file.
